When I Look at the Stars
by Smurf2005
Summary: It has been five years since Iga was attacked. Usagi goes back to visit and her grandfather gives her a mission. One shot. Possible sequel.


A/N: Hello everyone! Smurf2005 here with a brand new story! I have been working on this for awhile and this is the third draft. It's a _Tail of the Moon _story. I was going to make it Yukimaru and Usagi, but I couldn't write it, so this is the end result. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Tail of the Moon._ Rinko Ueda does. If I did, Ranmaru wouldn't have died.

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When I Look at the Stars

I was on my way to Iga to visit my family. I was so happy that they had survived the attack that had happened five years ago, but some people weren't as lucky; such as my husband, Hattori Hanzo. We hadn't been married for long when we were attacked. It was my wedding day. Thinking about it brought tears to my eyes.

"Usa, come on! I don't want to leave you behind!" Mamezo said, stopping and looking over his shoulder at me.

Mamezo had grown so much in the last five years. I smiled as I sped up to catch up with him. The sun was setting, but, we were almost there. I was excited to see my grandfather and my great grandfather again. Yuri and Goemon were there, too. They had gotten married, that was to be expected. They had become so close. Sara and Hanzou were happily married, too. I sighed. I was the only one that wasn't married. I was, but I had lost my husband.

Mamezo and I stopped. We had heard some rustling in the trees about us.

"Usagi, it's nice to see you again," a voice said.

I knew that voice. I looked up in time to see Goemon jump down from a tree and land in front of us.

"Goemon! It's been a long time! How are Yuri and the others?" Mamezo asked.

"Everything is fine. We have been watching for you since we got your letter," he said. "It's nice to see that you made it safely."

I smiled at my childhood friend.

"Whose idea was it to watch for me? Was it you? You knew it could take me some time to show up," I said, walking up to him and hitting him on the head.

"I know," he chuckled. "But, I couldn't wait to see you again. I miss you. Everyone misses you."

"I miss everyone, too," I said.

Goemon smiled and led us back to the village. The village looked just like I used to remember it.

"Usagi!" another familiar voice called out to me.

It was my grandpa and my great grandpa. I ran up to them smiling, but when I saw the grave looks on their faces, the smile slipped off my face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking from one to the other.

"Usagi, we have some news for you. Please come back to our house," Great Grandpa said.

I followed them to their house. I didn't know what was going on. Did I do something I shouldn't have? I sat down and waited for one of them to talk.

"Usagi, you remember that five years ago, Iga was attacked," Grandpa said.

"How could I forget?" I cried. "Nobunaga attacked us on my wedding day and killed my some of my friends and my family! And Hanzo! He killed Hanzo."

I put my face in my hands and started to cry.

"Usagi, listen to us. We have something important to tell you," Grandpa said.

I looked up, wiping the tears from my face.

"We have heard that Hattori Hanzo is still alive," Great Grandpa said.

"What? Hanzo died in the attack on Iga. If he was still alive, then why hasn't he contacted me in five years?" I asked.

"We do not know why. There might be a reason for it," Grandpa said. "So, you have a mission."

"A mission?" I asked. "What's the mission?"

"You are to go and find Hanzo. Find out what he is doing. He has been spotted near Oda Nobunaga. We think he may be trying to kill him. We just want to make sure that we are right. We also want you to try to stop him," Great Grandpa said.

I was silent. I was to find Hanzo and find out what he was doing? Why me? We knew I wasn't the best ninja. So, why did I have to do it?

"But, I don't understand why I have to do this. I'm not the best ninja," I said.

"That isn't the case now. You have become quite a decent kunoichi. We think you are the only one who can get through to Hanzo anyways. He chose you. He loves you. He will listen to you," Grandpa said.

I was quiet again. I was the only one who could through to Hanzo? I was the only one he would listen to? I stood up and paced the room for a few minutes. I could feel their eyes on me as I paced. I stopped and turned to look at them.

"Ok, fine. I will take the mission. I will find Hanzo and find out what he is up to," I said.

"Good. That is what we wanted to hear. You will leave in the morning," Grandpa said.

"I understand," I said.

I left the house quickly and went for a walk. I stopped beside a mountain river and looked in it. I looked at myself in the water. My hair had grown in the last five years. Was he going to recognize me? Did he still love me? After all this time, I still loved him. There was no way I would have fallen out of love with him. There was no other man I loved as much as Hanzo. I sat down with my knees drawn up to my chest. My chin was resting on my knees and I watched as leaves flowed down the river. Each leaf represented something different to me. The friends I lost, the family I lost, the time I lost. Was I going to be able to do this? I didn't know if I could pull it off, but I wasn't naïve anymore. I had to do this and I was the only person that could. I don't know how long I sat there, but night had fallen by the time I decided to head back to the village. As I got up, I wiped the tears from my face.

The next morning dawned bright and warm. Great, it's going to be one of those days. I groaned inwardly. Mamezo was following me around. He didn't want me to go, but I had to. It was my mission.

"Come on, Usa! Let me go, too!" he was saying.

"I can't let you come, Mamezo. This is a mission just for me!" I said, irritated.

"But, you could screw it up, Usa!" he said.

I stopped and he ran into me. I turned around to look at him and he seemed to shrink away from me.

"Listen to me. I don't want to do this, but if I can bring my husband back, then I will do this mission. I can not keep going on without him. I love him with all my heart. I will never love anyone as much as I love him. He is my soul mate. If you can't understand that, then I am sorry. But, I am going to this mission alone, Mamezo," I said.

I turned away from him and walked away. I left him standing there looking downcast. I knew I was harsh with him, but I had to get it through to him.

"Usagi!" a voice called from behind me.

I looked behind me and saw Goemon running toward me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up with me.

"What's up, Goemon?" I asked.

"I know where Hanzo is," he said.

He handed me a piece of paper with the location on it.

"Thanks, Goemon. I owe you one!" I said, running toward the gate.

I felt bad for not saying anything to anyone, but I had to find Hanzo and I had to talk to him. I wanted to see with my own eyes that Hanzo was still alive.

It took me all day to reach where he was. I wondered around, looking for him. I stopped for a minute to rest. I didn't know where he would be. I heard a rustle behind me and I jumped up. I didn't know who it was and I was scared. Then, I caught a glimpse of him. It was Hanzo.

"Han…zo?" I managed to choke out.

He stopped and looked over at me. It was Hanzo. I remembered his eyes and his long hair. It was the same as it was five years ago.

"Usagi?" he asked.

"Yes, Hanzo, it's me. I've missed you so much!" I cried, running up to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

"I am here to find out what you are up and to bring you home with me. After all you are my husband," I said.

"I am here to kill Oda Nobunaga. I have no intention to go home until he is dead. That's all."

He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm.

"Please, Hanzo! Don't leave me! I can't live without you!" I said, looking up at him with teary eyes.

"Usagi, please listen to me," he said. "I will return once I kill Nobunaga. Do you understand?"

I nodded and leaned up and gave him a kiss on the lips. He didn't kiss me back, and I didn't care. I let go of him and he was gone. I looked up at the stars. They were pretty. I just hoped that the stars I see from now on, Hanzo will too. I know that when I look at them, I will think of him. I hope that he will think of me when he looks at them.

The End

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A/N: So, what did you think? I tried my best, I really did. I'm sorry if it wasn't that good. I borrowed the series from my best friend. I will have to let her read this story. I guess this leaves it open for a sequel. Maybe I will write one. We'll see. So, anyways, read and review. Please, no flames, but constructive criticism is welcome. See you in my next story!


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